New Delhi: Upping the ante, social activist Anna Hazare on
Friday gave a 12 day deadline to the government to pass the Jan Lokpal
bill failing which he will continue his fast ''till my last breath''.

At
the same time, Team Anna said that a dialogue with the government is
the only way out although they will not compromise on corruption.
Addressing a press conference at Ramlila Grounds where he moved from
Tihar Jail earlier on Friday to begin his 15-day protest, Mr. Hazare
made a surprise announcement that he would not leave the fast venue till
the bill is passed.

“I have made the decision of
my life. It is up to the government to pass the bill. If the bill is not
passed in this (on going) session, then I will continue my fast till my
last breath,” the 73-year-old social activist told reporters at the
fast venue.

Replying to questions whether he was shifting the
goalpost after agreeing to restrict the fast to a fortnight, Hazare’s
close associate Arvind Kejriwal said “Anna Hazare will be here.” The
Delhi Police Commissioner has agreed that the fast can be extended by a
week on four days’ notice, he said.

Hazare said “We have
permission till September 2 but if by August 30 the bill is not passed
then people will be asked to fill jails across the country.” “We are
willing to have a discussion with the government with an open mind but
there cannot be any compromise on corruption,” Hazare’s aide Prashant
Bhushan said.

“....Resolution of problems comes through only negotiations,” Kejriwal, another associate said.Hazare
said, “first introduce the Jan Lokpal bill. I have gone to the People’s
Parliament. Till the bill is not passed, I am not going to leave this
place. I am saying this on behalf of people.”

His toughening of
stand came on the fourth day of his fast that began in police detention
on Tuesday morning and continued throughout his stay in Tihar jail from
which he came out today to a huge welcome by his supporters. Hazare said
he has “made the decision of my life” that he will not give up the fast
till the Jan Lokpal is passed.

Maintaining that the government
has majority in both Parliament and the Standing Committee, he said it
was up to the government to see how it will get the bill passed. Asked
about Justice Santosh Hegde’s comments that Team Hazare could consider
keeping Prime Minister and higher judiciary out of Lokpal, Kejriwal said
it was Mr. Hegde’s personal opinion and Anna Campaign has not changed
its stand. But he also said that there was no differences within the
team.

Kejriwal alleged that the government was making Parliament
and Standing Committee a “shield” for not passing the Jan Lokpal bill.
Stressing that higher judiciary needs to be within the ambit of Lokpal,
he said the judges deciding the fate of tainted brother-judges will not
suffice under the Judicial Accountability Bill.

To a question,
Bhushan said they were not averse to a dialogue with the government with
an open mind. “We are not afraid of discussions. If somebody from the
government wants to discuss, we have no problems. But we are not ready
to compromise on corruption,” he said. Kejriwal said nobody from the
government has approached them for discussions so far. He parried a
question whether Team Hazare was becoming extreme and was leaving the
Gandhian to die.

Earlier, addressing the throng of supporters
soon after he reached Ramlila Ground, Hazare gave enough indications
that it will be a prolonged one by declaring that he will not quit the
venue till the Jan Lokpal bill is brought. “We will not leave this
ground till the Jan Lokpal Bill is brought,” he said after reaching the
spacious venue after a three-hour drive from the prison where he spent
three nights.

On the fourth day of his fast, he looked totally
fit when he sprinted a short distance in Rajghat to escape from rain
though he had lost three kg of weight since Tuesday. Both outside Tihar
Jail and at Ramlila Maidan, he made a brief address to his supporters in
which he said that the second freedom struggle has started for
liberating India from corruption.

“There was a revolution in
1942 because of which the British had to quit India. But the loot and
rowdyism have not stopped. That is why the second freedom struggle has
begun. “Do not allow this torch of struggle to be put out whether Anna
is alive or not,” he told the cheering crowd at the spacious Ramlila
Maidan. After refusing to come out of Tihar Jail despite unconditional
release on Tuesday and some hard bargaining, he extracted from
authorities permission to hold his protest for 15 days from the 25,000
capacity ground instead of J P Park.

Police had initially
given permission to Hazare to hold the fast for three days from August
16 in JP Park with a crowd restriction of 5,000. Team Hazare has been
campaigning for adoption of its Jan Lokpal that will cover Prime
Minister, higher judiciary and conduct of MPs inside Parliament besides
other provisions. In a message that he would not make any compromise in
his campaign, Hazare said, “you can sever my head but you cannot make me
bow.”source: www.newsbullet.in